- The Path of Liberation

The word “liberation” has different shades of meaning and significance for different schools of Buddhism. Yet, all concede that the essence of Buddha-Dharma lies in the Four Noble Truths, first proclaimed by the Buddha to the world at Deer Park, Isipathana (now called Sarnath).

The Four Noble Truth encompass the nature and cause of human suffering, Cessation of suffering and a path leading to liberation from suffering.

With right understanding  of the teachings, we will realize that suffering arises when we identify ourselves with a false sense of self. We can experience that the stronger we grasp at the illusory ego, the more we suffer. On the other hand, without attachment to self, there is nothing to which suffering can adhere to.

The Buddha inherited the doctrines of karma and rebirth from ancient Indian thoughts, even before Buddha’s time. The Buddha affirmed these doctrines, but replaced their belief of soul, self (atman) and creator Brahma (God) with teachings according to the law that comprises the 3-seal of universal characteristics, namely impermanence, no-inherent self (anatman) and Nirvana.

In the Mahayana tradition, the concept of self is also discussed as self-cherishing (i.e. loving oneself more than others) and self-grasping (taking oneself as being truly existent).

Perception of A Permanent Self

For a practitioner who is serious about liberation, he/she needs to have the right understanding of “self”.

The self is simply a convenient label for a combination of body and mind (the five aggregates or skandhas). The aggregates of body, feeling, perception, mental activity and consciousness are ultimately  devoid of any essence, intrinsic nature, soul or independent identity.

When a particular doubts the true existence of “I” or “self” – his ingrained habits and confusion start to lose its influence on him, his ignorance and self-clinging will no longer enslave him the way they used to be.

He realizes the truth of what the Buddha says: 

       “There is no inherent self residing in our

         body and mind, but a flow or continuum

         of experiences or mental events. The

         notion that there is someone behind this

         process or flow, that there is some

         permanent entity is an illusion. ”

The Recurrent Questions

The Buddhist doctrine of no-self (Anatman) has been persistently critiqued by Indian philosophers and Westerners of non-Buddhist schools for thousands of years up to the present day. The ignorant dismissed this doctrine as nihilism.

The recurrent questions they often asked are:

1. Without a self, who experiences the results of wholesome and unwholesome deeds ?

2. If there is no self, what travels from life to life?

Answer

Those critics are ignorant than the ripening of karma does not require the existence of an Atman (self). Just as the flame from one candle lights another candle, nothing passes between them.

Similarly the imprints of actions influence successive moments of consciousness without anything substantial passed between them. The karma fruition is not contingent upon an independently existence of Atman (self).

Here is a paradox for contemplation:

For non-Buddhist critics. ‘rebirth is impossible without an Atman (a self or permanent soul),’ whereas for the Buddhists, ‘the Anatman (No-inherent self, no permanent soul) theory is what makes rebirth and liberation possible. Only a changeable construct can undergo evolution, never a fixed one that has its own permanent nature or essence.’

Nagarjuna

Nagarjuna says: “In liberation, there is no self and no aggregates. To mistake the illusory  self for a true self is as foolish as to mistake a  mirage for water,”

 He adds:

          “If we are not afraid of the termination

           of self that comes with liberation, why

          do we fear the termination of the self at

          death ? ”

Conclusion

The Buddha teachings awaken us to the fact that, in the face of death, all the mundane accumulations we hold dear are utterly worthless in liberating our suffering. Instead of being addicted to compulsive busyness, pleasures and foolish self-absorption that is devoid of any ultimate meaning, we must start to live a meaningful life that leads to liberation. By doing that now, there will be no regrets at the end or our life.

Let me relate the following scriptural account to underscore the importance of choosing the right path for liberation.

A wandering ascetic named Subhadra heard that the Buddha was to attain final Nirvana that very night at Kusinagara. Knowing that it is hard to meet one such as the Buddha, Subhadra hurried to see him in order to resolve his doubts about the spiritual life. Subhadra made his request a second and a third time, but still Ananda refused to allow him to see the Buddha.

But the Buddha overheard this conversation between Ananda and Subhadra, and he called to Ananda: “Enough, Ananda, do not hinder Subhadra, let me see the Tathagata. For whatever Subhadra asks me he will ask in quest of enlightenment and not to annoy me, and what I say in reply to his questions he will quickly understand.” Then Ananda said, “Go in, friend Subhadra, the Lord gives you leave.”

Subhadra approached the Lord and asked: “Venerable Gautama, all those ascetics and brahims who have orders and followings, who are teachers, well known and famous as founders of schools, and popularity regarded as saints, have they all realized the truth as they all make out, or have none of them realized it, or have some of them realized it and some not ? ” (Ibid, pp. 267-268)

Enough, Subhadra, never mind whether all, or none, or some you mentioned have realized the truth. I will teach you Dharma, Subhadra. Listen, pay close attention, and I will speak.” 

“Yes, Lord”, said Subhadra and the Lord said:

         “In whatever Dharma and discipline, the Noble

           Eightfold Path is not found, no ascetic is found

           of the first, the second, the third, or the fourth

           grade of sainthood in a Dharma and discipline

           where the Noble Eightfold Path is found.

 

           Now, Subhadra, in this Dharma and discipline

           the Noble Eightfold Path is found, and in it are

           to be found ascetics of the first, second, third,

           and fourth grade sainthood. Those other schools

           are devoid of [true]  ascetics; but if in this one

           the monks were to live the life to perfection,

           the world would not lack Arhats.” (Ibid, p.268)

“I reached in experience the Nirvana which is unborn, unrivalled, secure from attachment, undecaying and unstained. This condition is indeed reached by me which is deep, difficult to see, difficult to understand, tranquil, excellent, beyond the reach of mere logic, subtle, and to be realized only by the wise.” . . . The Buddha 

“A liberated person is one who in full awareness of who and what one is and one’s true place in this world.”

He needs to apply wisdom to understand vexations, and to practice continuously the Noble Eightfold Path to eliminate primary afflictions.

The Buddha says:

       “Those monks who have cut the three knots are

       all stream-winners, steadfast, never again destined

       for states of woe, headed for self-awakening. This is

       how the Dhamma well-proclaimed by me is clear,

       open, evident, stripped of dusts.” – Alagaddupama Sutta